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Table of Contents
About The Book
When a bird swoops in and steals the toy plane that reminds a boy of the grandmother he lost, he embarks on a fantastical voyage to retrieve it—and his most treasured memories—in this tender and imaginative picture book.
Leonard loved his grandmother and has always dreamed of flying planes like the ones Granny did as a pilot. But now, all he has of her is memories—one that lives in a photograph, and another that lives in the special toy plane Leonard’s father gave him when Granny passed on.
When Leonard’s toy gets stuck in a tree, a bird flies off with it, but before Leonard can despair, a large, magical egret sails down to take him on the flight of a lifetime—helping him discover how to hold on to memories of his granny without holding on to the grief that comes with them.
Leonard loved his grandmother and has always dreamed of flying planes like the ones Granny did as a pilot. But now, all he has of her is memories—one that lives in a photograph, and another that lives in the special toy plane Leonard’s father gave him when Granny passed on.
When Leonard’s toy gets stuck in a tree, a bird flies off with it, but before Leonard can despair, a large, magical egret sails down to take him on the flight of a lifetime—helping him discover how to hold on to memories of his granny without holding on to the grief that comes with them.
About The Author
Photo by Ryan Harris
Cherise Harris is an author and illustrator from Barbados. Her work centers around an interest in fairy tale and its role in telling deep and meaningful stories. Cherise uses pencil, watercolor, and clay, exploring her ideas in both 2D and 3D form. She also uses Photoshop to create digital art and gifs. She received her associate’s degree in visual arts at the Barbados Community College, her BFA in illustration at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, and most recently completed her master’s in illustration at Falmouth University in the UK. Cherise currently lives back home in Barbados with her husband, Ryan, and her daughter.
About The Illustrator
Photo by Ryan Harris
Cherise Harris is an author and illustrator from Barbados. Her work centers around an interest in fairy tale and its role in telling deep and meaningful stories. Cherise uses pencil, watercolor, and clay, exploring her ideas in both 2D and 3D form. She also uses Photoshop to create digital art and gifs. She received her associate’s degree in visual arts at the Barbados Community College, her BFA in illustration at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, and most recently completed her master’s in illustration at Falmouth University in the UK. Cherise currently lives back home in Barbados with her husband, Ryan, and her daughter.
Product Details
- Publisher: Denene Millner Books/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (March 31, 2026)
- Length: 40 pages
- ISBN13: 9781665960564
- Grades: P - 3
- Ages: 4 - 8
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Raves and Reviews
"Readers will be struck by the wide contrast between the soothing tone of the textual lines and the wordless, soaring flights of Leonard’s imagination taking place in the illustrations behind and around them."
– Booklist
"A tender, imaginative exploration of grief and remembrance, with the bonus of spotlighting groundbreaking representation of Black female pilots."
– School Library Journal
"A winningly tenderhearted fantasy about navigating grief."
– Kirkus Reviews
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
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Book Cover Image (jpg): The Toy Plane
Hardcover 9781665960564
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Author Photo (jpg): Cherise Harris Photo by Ryan Harris(0.1 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit
